Step By Step To Natural Samadhi

By Staff

Monday, December 1, 2008, 13:42

There is a lot of mix up about understanding the Ramana Way. Our complex mind finds its simplicity and directness baffling. We have been nurtured in the belief that the inward journey is arduous, that its fruits are only in the long run. One cannot accept that given the intensity and passion to discover the truth for oneself nothing can be so fulfilling from the beginning. There is an oasis of joy all along the way where one can have his fill of inherent joy before old habit pushes one outward to the mind's domain of thoughts galore, pleasurable, painful, mixed and so on.

The lingering ambrosial taste of the natural state experienced while on the inward journey, is bound to draw one back for the same experience only more stable, more prolonged, not just a flash in the pan as it might have been originally. It is a kind of 'Open Sesame'. The magic password to enter is the spirit of adventure, the urge to find out for oneself and above all to remember the never failing guidance of Ramana on the path.

First Step: To get to the gate of inwardness. What is one to do? Not to hang on to thoughts for fear of being without them or inability to be without them. Remember you are without thoughts, day in and day out and are none the worse for it. How can we say this? Just remember your deep sleep which you cannot miss out on even for a single day. Where were these thoughts? They had disappeared. Had they not? Were you any worse for it? No. For after that bout of enforced freedom from thoughts you feel fit as a fiddle, ready to take on another day.

One may think suppose I forget my fears, how do I ward off my nagging thoughts? Though their numbers and their varied nature is frightening, they are really only like a pack of cards. They have no foundation, no legs to stand on if you choose to ignore them. Since the whole lot of them depend on your attention when it is not given they drop off. There is a momentary death. True they may stage a comeback when due to lack of vigilance you pay attention to them all over again. The solution then too is the same. Let them pass away. Don't allow them to stick by your attention again.

Knowing our weakness, aware that our attention focus is not strong enough to stay on course of being thought free, Ramana gives a vigilance tool, called 'Who am 'I'?' If you raise this doubt the doubt itself will do the job. You will clearly see these thoughts are yours but you are not these thoughts. Your existence is independent of them, but they are not independent. They are dependent on you. Once this fact takes firm root in your mind then you are no longer bound. You recognise that the coming and going of thoughts is in your hands. Their sovereignty over you ends.

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